The present invention relates to an hydraulic prop. More particularly, it relates to an hydraulic prop, having a piston, a cylinder, sealing apparatus and accessibility for the entrance and exit of hydraulic fluid.
Hydraulic props of the above mentioned general type are known in the art and serve greatly in facilitating the erection and change of barricades in underground areas where shooting and blasting are carried out, such as in South African gold mines where there is a need for attaching barricades. These props require pistols for setting and wrenches for removal. Adjacent structural forms must be protected. The props can experience failure created by overloaded fluid pressure, rock shifting and damage from the impact of stones. If a prop is damaged and can no longer function properly, it must be replaced or repaired, both being very costly.